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Last weekend, Twitter made some unexpected changes to its verification system. Many VIP Twitter users woke up expecting to lose their blue verification check marks in Elon Musk’s announced purge. However, Twitter seemed to target a single account from a major publication that Musk dislikes. Additionally, the language on the site was changed, which now makes it unclear why users are verified.
Previously, Twitter had announced that it would be winding down blue checks granted under its old verification system. To stay verified, users were told they would have to pay $8 per month to join Twitter Blue, the platform’s subscription service. This service allowed accounts to pay for verification since December.
Contrary to expectations, most legacy blue check holders discovered that their verification marks had not disappeared. Instead, they found that a new label had been added to their marks, stating that the account is verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account. This new language creates confusion as it is unclear whether verified accounts are notable individuals or simply users who have paid to join Twitter Blue.
However, one high-profile account did lose its blue check over the weekend: the main account for the New York Times. The account had previously stated that it would not pay for verification. This happened after an account that often engages with Musk posted a meme about the Times declining to pay for verification, to which Musk responded saying, “Oh ok, we’ll take it off then.” Musk proceeded to criticize the Times in a series of tweets, calling their coverage boring and “propaganda.”
These recent moves by Twitter have once again created confusion and disruption among users, particularly high-profile accounts that are a key selling point for the platform. It also highlights the influence Elon Musk has over Twitter’s decisions, often making choices based on whims rather than policy.
It’s worth noting that while the New York Times’ main account lost its blue check, its other accounts remained verified. It is unclear why the New York Times doesn’t have a gold “organizations” check mark like other news outlets. The New York Times stated to CNN that it does not plan to pay for verification.
Twitter, which downsized its PR staff last fall, has yet to respond to requests for comment about these recent changes.
In a separate, puzzling move, Twitter replaced its blue bird logo with the doge meme representing the cryptocurrency dogecoin, which Elon Musk has promoted. This change coincided with a 20% increase in the price of dogecoin on Monday.
Elon Musk has been threatening to take away “legacy” blue check marks from users verified under Twitter’s old system since he bought the platform last fall. Initially, Twitter launched the option for Twitter Blue subscribers to receive blue checks, but the program was put on hold due to impersonators. It was later relaunched in December. Musk has consistently advocated for individual users to pay for blue checks, despite the introduction of a color-coded verification system for companies and government entities.
Prominent users like actor William Shatner and anti-bullying activist Monica Lewinsky pushed back against the idea of paying for a feature that ensures their safety from impersonation. Muddying the reason behind account verification with the new label could potentially make it easier for scammers and impersonators to trick high-profile users. Experts in inauthentic behavior are skeptical that reserving verification for paid users will reduce the prevalence of bots on the site, an issue Elon Musk has raised in the past.
Elon Musk has presented these changes to Twitter’s verification system as a way to treat everyone equally. He believes that there shouldn’t be a different standard for celebrities. The introduction of paid features could also generate revenue, which could benefit Musk, who has significant debt after acquiring Twitter for $44 billion.
In addition to these changes, Elon Musk recently announced that starting on April 15, only verified accounts would be recommended in users’ “For You” feeds alongside the accounts they follow.
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